Heating means for sheet-glass apparatus



Nov. 15, 1927.

` J. c. HENDERSON HEATING MEANS FOR SHEET 'GLAss APPARATUS Filed Jan. 11927 C'bhf) C. Hendrson. 77

I Pntented Non, 1, WE?.

JOHN C. HENDERSOH, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., ASSKGNOR TU THE LIBBEY-OWENSSHIE'T GLASS COMPANY, OF TULEDO, DHEU, .A CORPOHATON OF OHIO.

HETG MEANE .FOB. SHEET-GLASS APPARATUS.

Application filed January 13, 192?. seralmo. 160395.

ll`he present invention relates to the production of sheet glass and hasmore particular reference to an improved type ot sheet glass apparatuswherein a sheet is initially drawn in the vertical plane and then passedover a defiecting member into the horizontal plane.

Animportentpbject of the invention is to provide in sheet glassapparatus of the above character., means tor heating the sheet whilepassing in the Vertical plane whereby to t'acilitate the proper bendingthereof into the horizontal plane.

Another object of the invention is to provide improved heating means ofthis nature, including means tor passing an electrical current throughsaid sheet.

A further object of the invention is to provide improved heatingapparatus of this nature, wherein the electrical current :may be ceusedto pass either vertically or transversely through said sheet.

v A still further object of the invention is to provide improved heatingmeans of the r above character, including means for regulating theelectrical current passing through said sheet, thereby permitting thetemperature of said sheet to be accurately controlled.

Other ohjects and advantagesot the invention will become more apparentduring the course of the following description When taken in connectionwith the aecompanying drawings.

lln the drawings ;torming n part of this application and wherein likenumerals are enployed to designate like parts throughout the same,

1 is e transverse vertical section through sheet glass apparatus showingthe present improved heating means associated therewith, and

Fig. 2 is a longtudinel vertical section through 'the sheet glassapparatus showing a somewhat modified type ot heating means.

Reterring now to the (li-&wings and more particularly to iF-ig. 1, thetype of machine illnstreted is that dsclosed in the Colburn Patent No.1348509 granted Dec. 1-, 1917, 'wherein a sheet 5 is continuously drawntreni a mass ot molten glass 6 contained in a reccptecle or Sao-calleddraw-pot 't said pot inonnte. upon stools arranged within a heatingchamber and adapted to he contnuously replenished with molten glass troma suitable tenk furnace.

The sheet 5 is drawn :froni the source 6 initially in the vertical planeand at a substantial distance from the said source is defiected over aso-called hending roll 8 intb the horizontal plane Where it passes overan idler roll 9 and draw table 10 as shown in Fig. 2, after which it iscarried through an annealing leer where it is gradually reduced to roomtemperature as is well known in the art. In order to maintain the sheetto width there are provided at opposite edges ot the sheet 5 closelyadjacent thesource 6, pairs of rollers 11 and 12 whose outer surfacesare preferably roughened or knurled and which rollers are carried uponthe inner ends of internally cooled shafts 13 and 14: respectively.

From the time the glass leaves the pool 6 until it reaches the bendingroll 8, considerable heat has been dssipated so that the sheet isrelatively viscous and fairly well set. To ovenome or prevent breakageor strains in the sheet as it passes over the hending roll 8, it isadvisable to heat the sheet prior to the bending thereof and it is anaim of the present invention to pass a sufiicient amount of clcctricalcurrent through the sheet during its vertical run necessary to heat thesame, thereby facilitating the proper hending thereof.

lu acoordance with the present invention, a collar 15 is carried by' oneof the shafts 13 and engaging this collar isa stationary contactingmember 16 to which is Secured one end ot' a wire 17 leading to thetransormer 18. A collar 19 is carred by the bending roll 8 et the sameside of the sheet and is engaged by the stationary contact member 20 towhich is Secured one end of a wire 21 leading to the double knife switch22, seid switch comprising theblade 23 pivoted between the Contacts 24-and adapted to he swung to engage either the contacts 25 or 26. lhe wire21 is Secured to the Contacts 25 while 'Secured to the Contacts 24: isone end ot a wire 27 leading to and being secui-ed to the Contacts 28 ofthe main control switch 29 which comprises the blade 30 pivoted betweenthe contacts 31. Secured to may be accurately contro led by properregulation of this rheostat 33 as will be more clearly hereinafterapparent.

Carried by one of the shafts 14 at the op osite side of the sheet is acollar 35 engagea le by the stationary contact member 36 to which issecured one end of a wire 37, the opposite end thereof being secured tothe contacts 26 of the double knife switch 22. A switch 38 is interposedbetween and connects the wire 37 and contact collar 15; I

In Operating a glass drawing machine witl which the present improvedheating means above described is associated, the glass is started in theusual manner and heated by gas flames. After a temperature has beenattained which is sufiicient to cause the glass to become a conductor ofelectricity, the gas flame is extinguished and the electrical currentturned on. With the switches 22 and 29 closed in the manner shown inFig. l and the switch 38 also closed, it will be apparent that theelectrical current when turned on, will pass from the transformer 18into one edge of the sheet 6 through the shafts 13 and knurled rollers11 and that a portion of this current will also pass through the switch38 and wire 37 and enter the opposite edge of said sheet throughtheshafts 14 and knurled rollers 12. The electrical current entering theopposite edges of the sheet will pass upwardly therethrough as indicatedby the vertical arrows in Fig. 1 in order to uniformly heat the saidsheet throughout its mass.

'The heating of the sheet in this manner facilproper regulation of therheostat 33, the' amount of electrical current passing through the saidsheet may be efl'ectively controlled.

Should it be desired to pass the electrical current transversely insteadof Vertically through the sheet, the switch 38 is opened and the blade23 of switch 22 is thrown into engagemelt with the contacts 26, theswitch remaining in closed position as shown. The electrical currentwill then pass from the knurled rollers 11 transversely through thesheet' into and through the opposite k'nurled rollers 12 and will thenpass through the wire 37 switches 22 and 29 back to the transformer.Thus, the knurled rollers 11 and' 12 function respectively to conductthe electrical current to and away from the sheet.

If desired, an auxiliary pair of sheet engaging rollers can be providedat each edge of the sheet to serve as the electrical conductors instead'of using the usual rollers 11 and 12 which serve to maintain the sheetto width.

In Fig. 2 wherein has been shown a somewhat modified type of heatingmeans, there are provided the electrodes 47 and 47' which depend intothe mass of molten glass 6 in draw pot 7 at the opposite sides of sheet5. These electrodes can also be positioned at the opposite edges of thesheet as well as at the opposite sides thereof if desired. Leading fromthe electrode 47 is a wire 39 secured to the contacts 48 of the controlswitch 49, while leading from the electrode 47' is a wire also securedat its opposite end to the contacts 48. The switch 49 comprises a blade50 pivoted between the said contacts 48 and movable into and out ofengagement with th'e contacts 51. Secured to the contacts 51 is a wire52 leading to the transformer 53 and this transformer is connected bymeans of a wire 54 with the bending roll 8. Thus, after the molten glass6 and sheet 5 have attained a temperature suflicient to render them aconductor of electricity, the switch 49 is closed and the electricalcurrent turned on whereupon the said current will pass from thetransformer through the wire 52 to the switch 49 and thence through thewires 39 and 40 to the electrodes 47 and 47'. The electrical currentwill then pass through the molten glass 6 into and through the sheetheating the same and the said current will be subsequently conductedaway from the sheet by the bending roll 8 and assed back to thetransformer 53. A suita le rheostat may be also interposed in thiscircuit if preferred in order to regulate the amount of current passingthrough the sheet.

It will be found that by use of this means of heating that thetemperature of the glass will automatically adjust itself. That is, it'the machine is drawing rclatively thick glass the current will have alonger period in which to heat and when drawing relatively thin glassand the machine is moving at a higher rate of speed, the current willlave a shorter period of time in which to eat.

It is to be understood that the form o'f the invention herewith shownand described is to be taken as the preferred embodiment of the same,and that various changes in the shape, size and arrangement of parts mayhe resorted to without departing from the spirit of the invention or thescope of the subjoined claims.

-I claim:

1. In sheet glass apparatus, means for drawing a sheet from a mass ofmolten glass, and means for passing an electrical current through saidsheet whereby to leat the same. 2. In sheet glass apparatus, means foreasner irawing a sheet rertically from a mass of molten giass, an& meansfor passing an electrcal current rertically through said sheet wherehyto heat thesame.

3. in sheet glass apparatus, means for drawing asheet from a mass ofmolten giass,

' to heat the same prior to the *deficting ther-ect".

5. in sheet glass apparatus, means tor v cirawing asheet from a mass` ofmolten glass,

means for' deflecting said sheet :t'i-em one plane to another and meansror assmg an eiectrical current transversely through said sheet wherehyto heat the same prior to 'the detie'ctingthereot. 4

6. in sheet giass apparatus, means 'tor drawing a sheet 'vertically`from a massof molten glass, means for defiecting sai& sheet from thevertical into the horizontal'piane, anal means tor passing an electricalcurrent rertically through saiclsheet during its `ve i'- tical run toheat the same print' to the eleflecting thereo'f..

E in sheet glass apparatus, means :tor

(lrawing a sheet *verti'caliy from' a mass oi molten giass means tordieflectingsaid sheet from the Vertical into the horizontal plane, andeiectrical means tor heating the glass duringits Vertical run to sottenthe same throughout its mass pricr to the tletlectin'g thereoi'. V i

8. ln sheet glass apparatus, means tor drawing a sheet treni a mass ofmolten glass, means for passing an electrical current through sai& sheetwh'erehy to heat the same anti means tor olefiecting said sheet from oneplane to another and tor conducting the electrical current away from'said sheet.

9. ln sheet glass apparatus, means tor drawing a sheet vertically "froma mass or molten glass, means i'or passing an electricai current throughsai sheet whereby to heat thesama'ancl a rotatahle henclingmember fordefiecting sacl sheet from the vertical into the'horizontal plane andforconducting the el ectrical current away from said sheet.

10. in sheet glass apparatus, means for drawing a sheettrom a mass'ofmolten glass, means for passing an elec'trical current through saidsheet wherehy to heat the same, and a rotatable electrical conductingmember for defiecting said sheet from one plane to another. H

ll. lln sheet glass apparatus, means toi drawing a sheet from a massofmolten glass, means :tor deflecting said sheet from one plane toanother, and sheet edge engaging vertically through means for causing anelectrical current to pass 'through said sheet wherehy to soften thesame.

r l. in sheet giass apparatus, means tor drawing a sheet -hmm a mass ofmolten glass,

means :tor cle'lecting saiol sheet ;from ene plane to another, an& widthmaintaning meansengagng said sheet for causing an electrical current topass ther'ethrough to heat the same.

13. in sheet glass apparatus; means tor drawing a sheet vertically froma mass of molten glass, a rotatable hending member tor defiecting saielsheet ironi the vertical into the horizontal plane', an& rotatable widthmaintainin members engagng sai& sheet and adapte to cause an electrcalcurrent to he passed through. said sheet to' heat the same.

it'. in sheet glas/s apparatus, means for drawing a sheet verticailyfrom a mass ot'- moiten giass, an* members 'engaging the opposte edgesof the sheet an& adapte to conuct an electrical current to and awaymrom' said sheet..

l. In sheet glass apparatus, means tor drawing a sheet verticallyfrom amass ot molten glass, and members engaging the opposite edges ot thesheet *and adapteclto cause anelectricai current to he passedtransverseiy therethrough. z

16. in sheet glass apparatus, means tor drawing a sheet Verticaily froma mass of molten glass, anal widthmaintaining memhers engaging said'sheet at opposite edges thereof and; adlaptecl to cause an eiectricalcurrent to he passed' transversely through.

17. in sheet glass apparatus, means tor drawing a sheet vertically froma mass of molten glass, anti Width maintaining memhers engaging-saiolsheet at opposte eolges thereof tor conducting an electrical current toand awa from said sheet.

18. lu seet glass apparatus, means tor drawing 'a sheet' from a mass ofmoiten current to and away from said sheet.

20.- in sheet iass apparatus, means tor drawing a sheet rom a mass ofmolten glass, means tor passing an electrical current said; sheet toheat the thereliti@ drawing a sheet from a mass of molten glass,

a bending member for deflecting the sheet .from one plane to another,neans for causing the electrical current to pass vertically through saidsheetand longitudinally through said member, and means operable to causethe electrical current to change its path of travel and pam transverselythrough said sheet only.

23. In sheet glass apparatus, means for drawing a sheet from a mass ofmolten glass,

a bending member for defiecting the sheet from one plane to another, andmeans for causing an electrical current to be introduced into theopposte edges of said sheet.

24. In sheet glass apparatus, means for drawin a sheet from a mass ofmolten glass, a bendng member for defiecting the sheet from one plane toanother, and means for causing an electrical current to pass into thesheet at one edge thereof and pass out of said sheet at its opposteedge.

25. In sheet glass apparatus, a receptaele adapted to contain a mass ofmolten glass, means for drawing a sheet from said moltenglass'electrodes depending into the molten glass at opposte sides of thesheet, and being connected in series, and means for passing anelectrical current through said electrodes, molten glass and sheet toheat' said sheet.

- Signed at Toledo, in the County of Lucas and-?State of Ohio, this 4thday of January, 192

JOHN C. HENDERSON..

